Richter, M. (2014): <b>Temperatures in the Tropics</b>. In: Michael Koehl, Laszlo Pancel (eds.): <i>Tropical Forestry Handbook</i> ( ), Springer, Heidelberg.
Resource Description
Title:
Temperatures in the Tropics
FOR816dw ID:
1393
Publication Date:
2014-11-21
License and Usage Rights:
PAK 823-825 data user agreement. (www.tropicalmountainforest.org/dataagreementp3.do)
Resource Owner(s):
Individual:
Michael Richter
Contact:
email:
sairecabur <at> web.de
University Erlangen
Institute for Geography FAU
Kochstr. 4/4
91054 Erlangen
Germany
Abstract:
A main character of the entire tropics are the very low longitudinal gradients of air temperature of only 1 °C/1,000 km. In Fig. 1 (above) this is indicated by the broad reddish sector around the equator between 30°N and S and even beyond. A closer look at the upper image reveals darker patterns and hence the globally "hottest ecozone" over the Sahel and southern Sahara to the SE of the Arabian Peninsula. By far most of this section is part of the outer tropics. This "heat crest" north of the equator represents a thermal asymmetry and is linked to the large dimension of landmass in the northern half of Africa. Vertical termperature gradients in tropical mountains as well as changing meridional gradients of temperature amplitudes between the outer and inner tropics are presented by Figs. 2 and 3, resp. Diurnal an seasonal<br/>
cycles are illustrated by thermoisopleths for different altitudes and under arid up to perhumid conditons (Figs. 4 and 5), which are also exampled for soil and surface temperatures (Fig. 6). Impacts of cold as well as of dry air intrusions (Figs. 7-9) are related to plant reactions and phenological aspects (Fig. 10).
Keywords:
| Air intrusions and surges - Continentality - Phenology - Soil temperatures - Temperature gradients - |
